Connie Willis turns down Hugo presentation role

Award winning science fiction author and editor Connie Willis has explained why it is that she’ll be turning down the role of presenter of the Hugo awards this year.

“You may have been able to cheat your way onto the ballot. (And don’t talk to me about how this isn’t against the rules–doing anything except nominating the works you personally liked best is cheating in my book.) You may even be able to bully and intimidate people into voting for you. But you can’t make me hand you the Hugo and say “Congratulations,” just as if you’d actually won it. And you can’t make me appear onstage and tell jokes and act like this year’s Hugo ceremony is business as usual and what you’ve done is okay. I’m not going to help you get away with this. I love the Hugo Awards too much.”

I understand and respect Connie’s decision to remove herself from an unacceptable situation. Read the full text of how she has come to this decision here.

An interesting point of connection: I sat on a Worldcon panel with both Connie and Brad Torgersen in 2012 (along with Eleanor Arnason and Bud Sparhawk). I don’t really have a strong impression of Brad, but I recall Connie as polite, professional, and personable.

Questions? You are invited to either leave a comment below, or ask directly through the comment form.

The post Connie Willis turns down Hugo presentation role appeared first on Michael Coorlim.